The Pessimist's Tree
by BTTRthnTHErealENDING
Summary: My first Skittery fan-fic. The eternal pessimist has met his match -- a life long optimist. Please...Please..Please...read and review! Thanks!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Finally a non-Spot story…(I know I am just as shocked as you are!) I hope you all enjoy this. I am begging…please…please…please…review this story! I have written very few non-Spot stories (none of them are on this site) and this is my first Skittery story and I want to know what you all think…I also would love suggestions on how to write Skittery. I want to keep him as true to his character as possible. SO PLEASE REVIEW! Thanks - Emily**

The Pessimist's Tree

"The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit"

- Nelson Henderson 1860

Skittery leaned up against a tree weakly. He breathed in deeply to make sure he was still alive. He winced as a sudden pain shot through his ribs. Breathing…he would have to remember not to do that…he thought bitterly. He was sure he had sustained a few broken ribs. He knew he would have a bad shiner forming around his right eye soon. The blood that was soaking his shirt was from his nose which still hadn't stopped bleeding.

He turned around. He was deep in central park. He was surprised when he realized there were very few people around. It didn't bother him though. He would rather suffer in agony without an audience. He wasn't much of a people person anyway. He sighed again…wincing as pain shot through his body. He didn't know how he would make it home. He hurt like he had never before in his entire life. He decided to wait for a little while before trying to make it back to the lodging house.

Time seemed to pass slowly. He waited for what seemed like hours before he decided to attempt to move. He pushed him self against the tree and pulled him self up with his shaky legs. He tried to anchor himself against the tree but he collapsed face forward falling to the ground. He let out a scream as he felt all of his weight fall on to his side. He rolled slowly and grabbed his side where he was now certain his rib was broken. Silent tears formed in his eyes. He tried to blink them away but he couldn't. The pain was agonizing. Ever the optimist he resigned himself to the fact that he would die alone in Central Park and no one would ever know or care. His dark thoughts were interrupted by a voice.

"That looked like it hurt."

Skittery turned his head to try and find the source of the voice. He looked to his left and saw a young girl staring at him with a smile. Her smile made him automatically distrust her. She walked towards him and he instinctively moved into the fetal position and covered his head. He expected the blows to come any minute. He was an easy target for a mugging. He was injured and unable to defend himself. To bad this girl would be disappointed. He had already been mugged today. That was why he was in the position he was in at this very moment.

"I can't really help you when you are like that." The girl said quietly as she kneeled next to him.

Skittery wasn't falling for the girl's act. He didn't move. He didn't open his eyes and he refused to uncover his head. He hoped the girl would just turn and leave but he knew that wishful thinking was a stupid waste of time. He shuddered when he felt a hand gently but strongly pull his arm away from his head. He opened his eye and stared at the girl. She traced her finger across the bruise that was forming around his eye.

"You need some ice on that…and you should tilt your head back to get your nose to stop bleeding." She said quietly but in a comforting tone.

The alarm bells in Skittery's head were going off. Every fiber of his being told him not to trust this girl… then again his instincts always told him to mistrust everyone. He silently weighed his options - it was getting cold and he knew that the fall evenings were enough to freeze a person to death. His options became clear - freeze to death or let the girl help and possibly die. He didn't like his odds but decided to go with the latter. He relaxed his tense muscles as the girl sat waiting for a reply.

"Could you help me up?" He finally spoke. His words were clear and crisp but a certain doubt was laced behind them.

The girl smiled again and nodded. She looked around for a moment. Skittery's eyes went wide as he watched her move to pick up a large branch that had fallen off a tree. He went back quickly into the fetal position. He waited for the blow but nothing seemed to come. He slowly moved his hands from his head. The girl stood over him waiting patiently. The large branch lay next to him.

"You can use that as a crutch for one side and I will help you on the other side." She said it without a trace of sarcasm and Skittery appreciated it greatly. He knew if the shoe had been on the other foot he would have been making fun of the fool who feared a girl and went straight to the fetal position to protect himself. He grabbed the branch and began to painfully pull himself up. She, as she said she would be, was on his other side. He allowed himself, quite hesitantly, to put his weight on her. As he steadied himself they began to take slow steps. She instructed him to hold his head back as well as he could to help with his bleeding nose. They walked slowly and after about fifteen minutes they came to a bench.

"Do you need to rest?" She asked him full of concern.

"No I am…ah…good." He tried to talk but the pain coming from his side was excruciating. He let her slowly guide him to the bench.

"I can take it from here. Thanks for the help." He didn't want to have to rely upon her anymore. He instinctively didn't trust people…it had to be extraordinary circumstances for him to take help from another person. Today was one of those extraordinary circumstances.

"I don't think you are well enough to make it from here." She said uncertain.

"Look I appreciate the help. If you are looking for money or something I can't help you but, I really can take it from here." Skittery said frustrated that the girl had yet to leave his side. He thought he recognized a brief look of hurt but the girl quickly hid it. Her face brightened with a smile.

"No I am not looking for money. Well…I hope you recover quickly. Goodbye." She stood and sent him one more smile before heading off back in the direction they had come from.

Skittery watched in amazement as the girl trotted off. He had expected the worse but by some miracle was still alive. The girl hadn't even wanted anything for helping him. She was an odd one he thought to himself.

He turned his attention back to the situation he was now in. He knew he really couldn't make it back to the lodging house on his own. Maybe he had been foolish to send the girl away but he hadn't wanted to rely on her anymore. Besides she clearly wasn't going in the same direction. He sat for awhile unsure what his next move would be. It was starting to get dark and the temperature was rapidly dropping.

Skittery sat intense. He was trying to talk away his pain and tell himself that he could make it to the lodging house. He started to pull himself up but he stopped as he heard a low pitched whistle. He strained his neck to see who was coming up behind him. He clung tightly to the branch in his hand ready to use the make shift crutch as a weapon.

"Heya Skittery...what the hell happened to you?" Mush asked shocked at his friend's state.

"Yeah you look like crap!" Race added to which he received a smack on the back of the head from Mush.

Skittery felt a great sense of relief wash over him as his grip loosened on the branch.

"Will you two just stop staring and help me home?!" He said it bitterly but he could have shouted for joy at sight of his two friends.

The walk home had been long and painful. As Skittery had expected all of the Manhattan Newsies had jumped up to help him the minute they saw him. They kept hurling questions at him about what had happened and if he was okay. He supposed he should be thankful to have friends who cared so much but he didn't like people to be concerned. He reluctantly let Kloppman give him first aid and soon retired to his usual bunk. He was still in pain and the bandage that was wrapped around his torso seemed to keep him in a constant state of agony but he was happy to be in bed because it meant no more questions of concern from his friends. He tried to close his eyes but the incessant ache he felt through his body seemed to be fighting his will to sleep. He lay there in thought before he finally began to drift away.

He dreamed intense dreams that seemed so real. He imagined he was back in the wooded part of Central Park where he was mugged by a band of scabbers. He suddenly was alone and everything around him went black. He saw something in the distance. It was a white light - as it got closer the light seemed to encompass a figure. As Skittery looked on he could see her. It was the girl who had helped him earlier. She wore a beautiful white gown with simple lace all around it. Her auburn locks glowed as the light from behind her illuminated the long waves the circled her face and went all the way down her back. Her porcelain white skin was accented by her beautiful rose colored cheeks that were laced with freckles. Skittery thought she was, quite possibly, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He watched her closely as she came to him and helped him up. He suddenly leaned in and passionately kissed the beauty that stood before him. She did not resist but intensified the kiss.

Skittery suddenly shot up. He yelped in pain. His ribs were the reminder he was back in the real world and no longer in fantasy land. He rubbed his side and began to wonder what that dream had been all about. He hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary about the girl in the park. She hadn't really seemed like she was an extraordinary beauty…so why had he dreamed her to be? He thought for a moment trying to remember her face. He couldn't get a clear image. He had been in a lot of pain. His focus had been else where…he really hadn't taken the time to look at her. It didn't matter. He slowly lay down trying to push thoughts of his mystery helper aside. He had made the choice to be a lifelong bachelor. He didn't want to be tied down to anyone. He didn't want to ever need anyone or ever be needed anyone.

"That means you can stop thinking about her." He whispered quietly to himself.

He drifted back to sleep only to be awoken by the same reoccurring dream.

"This is gonna be a long night." He said to no one in particular as he sighed and felt the pain intensify in his side. Breathing…yeah he would have to stop doing that.

**AN: Yay the first chapter is through. I am excited about where this is going. I have had the idea for it for a while but never wrote it down…and now here it is. The quote at the beginning of the chapter has really leant itself to this story (you will see why in later chapters) anyway it is also the inspiration for the title. I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter. I am again begging for reviews! Please click that little arrow in the bottom left hand side of this window! It will make someone (me) really happy. I really do want to know what you thought of my portrayal of Skittery and how you liked the first chapter of this story overall…Thanks - Emily**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you all so much for your kind words. I appreciate the reviews I received! I hope you all enjoy the next chapter. **

The Pessimist's Tree - Chapter 2

_"The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit"_

_- Nelson Henderson 1860_

The sun began to leak through the windows of the lodging house alerting of a change from night to day. Skittery was up as soon as the first beam made its way through. He normally wasn't one to wake so easily but today would be his first day back on the job. It had been an agonizing four weeks since his debacle in the park. After his third day in the seclusion he thought for sure he would kill himself. The shear boredom he felt from being cooped up had made him bitter (more than usual.) He was sure he had offended at least every newsie in the Manhattan Lodging House at least once...not to mention Kloppman. He was ready to move again and be out in the daylight.

He waited impatiently on the stoop of the lodging house as the other newsies began to make their way out onto the streets. He wasn't waiting for anyone in particular but something wouldn't let him go off alone. He knew that some of the fear from the day he was mugged was still lingering. He hoped for his sake that it would erase itself soon. He walked by himself amongst the crowd of newsies. That was how it was usually though. He walked amongst them but never with them. He was friends with them but he tried to remain as unemotionally attached to them as possible. There was no point in getting close to something that you would eventually lose and to Skittery it was a fact that you always lost those that you were close too.

He reluctantly went off on his own. He had wanted desperately to tell both Mush and Blink yes when they had offered to sell with him but he wouldn't let himself. He headed off to his part of Central Park. He felt the apprehension build in him as he neared the area he had been mugged. He pushed the fear aside and began calling out the headlines.

By midday he had most of his papes sold. He normally would have headed off to Tibby's to meet the other newsies but he didn't feel much like socializing. He rested on a bench staring off at the different varieties of people who made their way through the park. He tried to remain alert. Every sound seemed to make his heart beat faster. The sounds were getting to him as flashes of the day he was beat and mugged began to fog his vision. He put his head in his hands trying to push away the nauseating feeling that was pulsing through him. When he felt a hand on his back he instinctively grabbed it and twisted it. He heard a small scream that brought him back into reality. He shook his head for a moment as he starred at the face of the woman whose wrist he still held in his hand.

"You…I mean I'm sorry" He let go off her quickly. He watched as she began to rub her wrist with her hand. "I didn't mean too…are you hurt?"

"It's okay - I will be fine. Are you alright though?" She asked with a look full of concern.

Skittery felt a sudden sense of guilt wash over him as he saw red fingerprints form around the girls wrist. He looked back up at her.

"Yeah I'm okay."

"I'm glad to see you have healed up nicely. I worried about you." The girl said casually as she slid on to the bench and motioned for Skittery to do the same. He felt extremely uncomfortable but it only took one glance at her wrist before he felt obligated to stay and chat with her for awhile.

"Um yeah… it took me awhile though. Thanks for helping me that day." He said as he pulled himself next to her.

"No problem." She said with a smile.

Skittery studied her. This was the girl he had been having non stop dreams about for the last month and now she was right in front of him. She was wearing simple clothing nothing like the lace number she was wearing in the dream. Her dull, brown skirt covered a pair of well worn boots. Her white shirt was no longer fresh and new but looked as if it had been washed often. He looked back up at her face. Small wavy ringlets circled around her head but he could see that the mass of her auburn hair was pulled into a messy bun. Her pale skin was as he had remembered it in the dream. Her freckles traced the rose color of her cheeks. He knew that he was staring and that she knew it but he didn't stop. He was intrigued by her. He moved onto her eyes. That was the only part of his dream that he couldn't remember. Were they brown or were they blue? He had wondered that often. His breath was taken away when he realized that they were neither. In fact they were a shade he had never seen before.

"You have beautiful eyes." He suddenly blurted out. He started to blush and then mentally beat himself up for being attracted to the beauty that sat next to him.

"Thanks. I'm told they come from my mother." She said with another smile.

"I haven't ever seen anyone with violet eyes before." He said still staring intently at them. They were captivating. He knew then that his dreams hadn't been wrong she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. This only made him more uncomfortable. It wasn't that he wasn't attracted to women…he was. He had just always had managed talk himself out of acting upon his attraction. She was different somehow. She mesmerized him and he felt a sort of warmth that seemed to emanate from her. He wanted to be around her. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to tell her why he freaked out a few moments ago and most of all he wanted to be able to feel her touch. He wanted to hold her hand. He wanted to kiss her.

He stood up suddenly letting his reason get control of him again.

"Well I gotta go… papers to sell and stuff…ya know. I um, am sorry again about your wrist…I'm sorry I didn't get your name." He said quickly. He mentally smacked himself again. He didn't want to know her name. He didn't want know anymore about her. The less he knew the better.

"Charlotte and you are?" She said holding her good hand out with a smile.

"Josiah Alexander Adams but, um most people call me Skittery. It's my newsie nickname." Now he was really beating himself up. Had he really just blurted out his full name to a girl he hardly knew? What was wrong with him?

"Well Skittery I hope to see you around." She smiled. Skittery felt his knees start to weaken. Why did she always have to flash her gorgeous smile?

He watched as she walked away. He felt a sudden emptiness fill him as her warmth disappeared. He had never felt like this before. He shook his head and started to work on selling the rest of his papers.

He was distracted by thoughts of her. He kept picturing her. He saw her striking eyes and beautiful smile. He replayed their conversation. He felt like a fool each time he did. She had said very little. He had kept the conversation going but only after he had stared at her for what seemed like hours. She probably thought he was a pervert or something.

He tried pushing the thoughts away as he made his way back to the lodging house. What did he care what she thought of him. "You're not going to fall in love. Listen to yourself. Fall in love. You have seen the girl twice and you are all ready talking about falling in love. Pull yourself together." He reminded himself out loud.

"You okay there Skittery?" Jack asked as he walked up the lodging house steps behind the boy who had been talking to himself.

Skittery jumped but nodded and pulled himself into the building.

Jack glanced down at the other newsies who were behind him. He sent them a silent glance.

"So what's eating him?" Mush asked as they all sat on the stoop of the lodging house.

"Don't ask stupid questions. You know we know as much as you do." Jack said rolling his eyes.

"What did you decide to take Skittery's place as grump for the night?" Race asked sarcastically. Jack sent him a warning glance.

Crutchy sensed the impending doom Race faced and cut in. "Maybe he had trouble getting back out on the streets today."

"Maybe he has girl problems like Blink." Mush said jokingly. Blink punched his best friend in the arm.

"Nah it ain't in Skittery's nature to care about others so he wouldn't have a girl." Race said it sarcastically but they all sensed the seriousness in his tone.

They piled into the lodging house wondering what was wrong with their friend. They all knew that was all that they could do. Race was right. It wasn't in Skittery's nature to care about others and it wasn't in his nature to share his feelings with others.

Many of them had known each other for years. They had shared stories about their pasts. They knew each others real names but Skittery had always remained a mystery. He didn't share his past and he definitely didn't share his name. Most of the newsies had settled on the fact that their friend's past and name would remain ambiguous though they all hoped that someday somebody would be able to solve the mystery that was Skittery.

**AN: Alright there it is the next chapter…I hope you all enjoyed it. Please Please Please review! I am begging you to press the little button in the bottom left hand of this window. I really want to know what you guys think - especially since this is the first time I have written a Skittery fic. Please let me know! Thanks for reading - Emily**

**New AN:While you are here I also have another favor to ask. I have a poll on my profile page regarding my next fanfic and which newsie you all want to read about so please stop by and take it. Thanks again -Emily**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hello everyone…clearly it has been a very long time since I have added anything to any of my stories here at . Many of you who I have gotten to know outside of this website know that last year was a very difficult year for me. I can say that even with the bad economy this year is looking up. With all that said I have felt that old urge to write yet again. I know I have a few stories going on here. I know I will probably get grief for not writing for **_**Jillaroo**_** or **_**Say It Again**_** but I will get back to them eventually. I have however, had the idea for this story floating around so long in the back of my head I feel it finally needs to be written. Thank you all for you support! I would, as always, love to know what you think so please leave a review. – Emily**

The Pessimist's Tree - Chapter 3

_"The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit"_

_Nelson Henderson 1860_

Skittery sat starring at the dirty wall, in the booth farthest from the door at Tibbys. He took a deep breath in. It was the first time in months that he had been able to breath without any hint of pain. It had taken him six months from the day of the mugging to get to that point. He thought to himself how relieved he should be that he was now back in peak physical condition but he didn't really care.

He pushed around a piece of roast beef on his plate that had been left over from his sandwich. He sighed and listened to the conversations going on around him. When he had heard enough he lifted his stack of papers off the table and headed out onto the streets once again.

He walked towards the entrance to Central Park. He called out the latest "improved headline" and quickly sold all of his papers. It was late afternoon and he wasn't ready to head back to the lodging house yet.

He was back to his normal self. He hadn't seen Charlotte, his rescuer, since the day he had made a fool of him self almost five months ago. She had slowly made herself scarce in his dreams.

He felt a twinge of sadness as he thought of her. He missed the alive feeling he got when he thought of her.

He sighed and sat on a bench. He had been spending a lot off time thinking about what he was doing with his life as of lately. He knew he couldn't be a newsie forever. He really didn't want to become a factory worker but he didn't see any other options. He had already made up his mind long ago that he wouldn't get married and he would never have kids. He knew this afforded him the opportunity to travel and find work as it came. He considered the idea for a minute but quickly dismissed it. He needed something stable. Change was something he disliked greatly. He couldn't handle not knowing where his next meal would be coming from.

His thoughts were interrupted by screams coming from a group of trees behind him.

"I didn't do anything!" Skittery heard a child's voice scream.

"You're a snitch Brewer! You always have been!" An angry voice screamed back.

Skittery sat for a moment shaking his head at the children's fight until he heard the screams of one of the children. He quickly rushed into the bushes to see one little boy being kicked by a group of older boys.

"Get out of here now! Go, the whole lot of you before I go get the bulls!" Skittery yelled at the group. He wasn't surprised that they all scampered off quickly in different directions. There was no telling who else had heard their bullying and the cops were known to walk central park quite often.

Skittery glanced down at the small boy who whimpered quietly in the fetal position.

"Hey kid…" Skittery said hesitantly, "Um kid…are you okay?"

The little boy let out a soft whimper.

Skittery sighed to himself. What had he gotten himself into? He kneeled down to the boy. He saw that the boy's pain every time he took a breath. He had no doubt this boy was suffering from a broken rib or two as he had himself a few months ago.

He also noticed that the boy had wet himself during the course his beating. When the boy noticed Skittery looking at his wet pants he started to cry again. Skittery sighed again.

"Where do you live kid? I'll take you home. You're not going to be able to do it on your own." Skittery waited for the boys answer.

The boy stopped whimpering and whispered softly, "Saint Lucy's."

"The children's home?" Skittery asked a little shocked.

"Yeah" the boy whispered back.

"Okay then" Skittery said carefully lifting the boy. He was amazed at how light the boy was. He had to be six, seven at the oldest. He felt the boy press his head into his shoulder sheltering his face from the embarrassing situation he had just endured.

Skittery walked slowly. He knew he needed to get the boy home but he wasn't in a hurry to head to Saint Lucy's. Memories came flooding back to him. It almost became too much for him to handle. His breathing became shallow. He looked down at the little boy in his arms and reminded himself that he didn't have to stay their ever again, he only had to leave this little kid. He felt sick thinking about it but he didn't have any other choice.

He saw the dilapidated building come into his view. It hadn't changed much aside from becoming more run down. He hesitated at the steps in front of the building. He took a breath and stepped in. The smell immediately sickened him. He made a step forward towards the main office where all the nuns would be.

He was quickly stopped when he heard a voice coming towards him. "David Brewer…what on earth?"

He turned and quickly noticed the flash of red coming towards him. It took him a moment to realize that the girl who was now making over the boy in his arms was Charlotte the girl he had fantasized about for months.

"Did Edwin and the other boys do this to you Davey?" She asked in a very worried tone as she looked over his wounds.

The boy nodded slowly.

She sighed. "Oh Davey," She glanced up for the first time and noticed that it was Skittery holding the little boy. "Hello, um, well could you please carry him in here." She pointed to the sick room. Skittery knew it well.

"I ugh, think he may have a broken rib or two." He said quietly as he sat the boy down gently on the bed.

"Thank you." She said as she started to undress the little boy.

Skittery looked around the room for a minute noticing how little had changed since he had been in it last. The nausea from early quickly returned.

"Well, um, I should be going." He said hurriedly. He couldn't be here long.

"If you wait a moment I will get the Doctor for Davey and then I can make you a cup of tea or something. I'm sorry I don't have anything else to offer you for your trouble." Charlotte said quietly.

"No it's fine I really gotta go." Skittery backed out of the room and hurried out of the building. He could hear her calling him but he didn't turn back. He couldn't go back there. He had too many bad memories from there.

He couldn't see her again either. He had been dreaming of her for months but this would ruin it. How could she work in a place like Saint Lucy's? He knew all to well the sorts of things that went on behind the closed doors of the children's home. Could she really work there and be okay with it? He took a deep breath and let the cool evening air hit him.

He walked quickly towards the lodging house. He was finally ready to go home.

**AN: Thank you all for reading the latest chapter of this story. I would again appreciate greatly any reviews you all would give me! I don't know when the next chapter will be up…it will probably depend on how motivated I am. (BTW I get really motivated by reviews…haha JK) Anyway thank you all for taking the time to read! - Emily**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Caught the old writing bug. I know I have other stories (namely Jillaroo) that others would probably rather have me finish first, but this one has been in my head for awhile so I'm going with it! **

The Pessimist's Tree - Chapter 4

_"The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit"_

_- Nelson Henderson 1860_

"I thought I would find you here." Skittery's thoughts were interrupted by a voice he immediately recognized.

He looked up from his seat on the bench wear he had been savoring the leftover half of yesterday's roast beef sandwich.

"Hey Charlotte…" He said unsure of why the girl would be looking for him.

"I just wanted to thank you. You know for, bringing Davey back the other day. You left in such a hurry…" She stopped sensing his unease.

"Uh, yeah, no problem…How is the little guy anyways?" Skittery didn't really care but he didn't really feel like delving into a deep conversation about his why he couldn't stand to be inside of, let alone, anywhere near Saint Lucy's.

"Oh he is gonna recover. He had a few bruised ribs. Davey…he is different. He has a vivid imagination and he keeps to himself so often. The other boys they are unmerciful towards him. I don't know what to do. The Sisters have tried to punish them, but truth be told I don't think they really care one way or the other. They aren't particularly fond of Davey anyway."

Skittery snorted. "The sisters not caring…what a shock," he thought to himself.

He glanced up at Charlotte who was giving him an inquisitive look.

"What was that noise for?" She questioned…slightly irritated by it.

"Ah, it was nothing. Just thinking," He said. He was ready to move on. He didn't want to continue this conversation. "Hey look, I gotta go. I've got papes to sell and whatnot…"

"Sure I understand. I guess I will see you around." She said it with a straight face, but Skittery thought he sensed an undertone of disappointment in the statement.

He gave a quick wave goodbye before taking off. He began calling out headlines but turned his head slightly. Charlotte didn't move she just looked straight forward from the bench they had been sitting on together. Her hands rested together in her lap. She didn't have a smile on her face and she didn't seem to be as happy and carefree as she was the last few times he had been with her.

He shook his head and handed a women a paper before walking off.

* * *

Skittery walked slowly next to Mush. The evening air was cold. Snow was tightly impacted into the ground. It was hard and slick, no longer soft and moldable like it was when it had first fell. He didn't know why on earth the newsies insisted on keeping up the monthly poker games during the winter months.

He thought himself slightly crazy for agreeing to come tonight. The game was in the Bronx. The Manhattan lodging house was closer to Brooklyn, a trek across Manhattan and well into the Bronx had meant that all the newsies had to quit selling their papers fairly early in the day. He couldn't figure out how the Staten Island Newsies would make it. He imagined they didn't even bother selling their papers that day.

Mush pushed a little closer to him as the wind blew. It was cold - really cold. They all were wearing their winter clothes - which consisted of wearing every piece of clothing they could get their hands on.

"We shouldn't have come tonight. We are all gonna catch pneumonia and die." Skittery said bitterly.

Race who seemed untouched by the blistering cold came up behind him. "And miss the poker game? I think not. I've been on a roll these last few times. But hey if you do die…I promise I'll bring flowers to your grave every day."

Skittery shot Race a looking letting him know he wasn't amused. Race raised his hands in defeat before running up ahead to catch up with Jack and Blink.

"It ain't so bad." Mush said finally entering into the conversation.

"Yeah right." Skittery said sardonically.

"Look there are still other people out…we ain't that crazy." Mush said as he motioned to a figure walking up the streets.

Skittery glanced over trying to decide what kind of person would still be out in the cold of the evening as darkness set upon the city. He was surprised when he immediately recognized Charlotte. A sickness set in his stomach. What was she doing over here? Was something the matter? Why hadn't he talked to her more the other day?

He couldn't stop the flood of concern as he watched her slowly move up the street. He was fighting back the concern when he suddenly couldn't stand it anymore. He broke away from Mush and turned around.

"Charlotte, Charlotte…wait." He called out to her…ignoring all the stunned newsies. They watched with dropped mouths as Skittery ran to the pretty girl across the street. Jack was the first to contain his shock and slowly got the newsies to continue on their journey. He figured Skittery had other plans and wouldn't be joining them tonight.

Charlotte turned when she heard her name called. She was surprised to see Skittery coming towards from a group of scraggly looking boys.

"Hey Skittery. How are you?"

"I'm okay…cold." He said unsure of what he was actually doing.

"Yeah…" She replied with a smile, "It is cold…"

"So um, yeah, what are you doing way out in the Bronx? Is everything okay?" He said trying not to sound too concerned.

"Oh yeah…I was just…had some visiting to do over here today." She said it with a smile, but Skittery sensed there was more to it than that.

"Are you on your way home?" Skittery asked, ignoring her secrecy and feeling a sudden protectiveness towards her. He didn't like the thought of her walking home alone.

"Yeah…well um, are you going somewhere special?" She asked suddenly.

"Nah, just a stupid poker game, I don't play…just something to do." He replied.

"Would you like to come with me?" she said it without hesitation and a level of excitement that drew him in. Skittery didn't even ask where they were going but just nodded.

The two began to walk in silence. She quickened her pace. He didn't know how she managed to keep her balance and stay so steady on the slick sidewalks. He struggled to keep up with her. She almost seemed to glide across the snow. She was quick and light footed.

He stopped as they rounded the corner coming towards a huge plot of gated land.

"Where are we?"

"St. John's College, this campus is called Rose Hill." She said with enthusiasm. She kept walking on down the street.

"Where are we going?" Skittery was confused now. It had been just a few minutes since they had past the college campus but they were still outside the gates of somewhere else.

She stopped suddenly. She produced from under her sleeves a key. She pushed aside some mangled leaves and revealed a locked gate. She grabbed his hands and pulled him through the small door before closing it.

He stood inside a large area. Trees lined walkways. Benches were covered in snow. What is this place?

"This is the New York Botanical Gardens." She grabbed his hand and pulled him along. Her urgency signaled to him not to ask questions but just to follow.

When she finally stopped she turned to him. "This is the green house." She produced another key and opened the door. Skittery was immediately hit with warmth and humidity. It felt so good that he eagerly pulled himself in. He stopped once through the doors. Suddenly sparks came flying from up ahead as overhead lights turned on illuminating the space. He had never seen anything like it. The glass building was filled with all sorts of odd plants and trees. It was beautiful. He turned to Charlotte who was watching him with a smile on her face.

"It's incredible isn't it?"

"Yeah it is. What is this place…I mean how are we here…aren't we going to get in trouble?" He asked confused and amazed at the same time. He watched her she smiled and him and began to walk down the aisle.

"You can relax. , the groundskeeper knows me. He lets me come and help him out whenever I want. He has been teaching me." She smiled as she gingerly touched a red blossom of a small tree.

He watched her eyes light up. "Teach you?"

"Mr. Lee, he knows plants. He isn't a botanist or a horticulturist or anything he just knows. It is in his blood. He has been teaching me everything he knows."

"Bot…ah what were those things you said?" Skittery was confused but he could tell she was excited. He enjoyed watching her face and she took in each plant. The freckles in her face creased ever so slightly and her eyes were bright with passion. He felt his heart pounding thinking about how beautiful she was again.

"Botany is the study of plants and plant life. A horticulturalist cultivates plants. It is fascinating…at least to me." She paused for a moment sending him an embarrassed smile. "Sorrry I'm rambling."

"No, no – this is really something." He said as he looked around. He wasn't lying. The incredible building was packed full of a huge variety of plants. He had never seen anything like it.

"These are my favorites." She pointed to a shelf with what looked like small trees. Some of the trees had flowers on them. They were all different colors. "Camellias – they come in all sorts of variations. When the snow dies off they will start to bloom again outside. These all came from China. Isn't that incredible? We are looking at these amazing plants that are from Asia?"

Skittery didn't know exactly where China or Asia was but he knew it was far from New York. He admired the sense of wonder with which she saw everything. He felt it too, here in the Greenhouse with her. It was the first time in a long time he had ever been excited and comfortable about something that was completely out of his control.

"I could stay here all night." She said with a sigh. She motioned for him to come sit on a wooden bench that was sitting underneath a giant palm tree. He obeyed without hesitation. They sat in silence, watching the trees blowing in the harsh weather outside the warm glass building.

"Charlotte?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for showing me this." He said with a smile.

"I knew you had a smile in there somewhere in there." She said jokingly.

He stopped and realized that indeed he was smiling. He didn't care either. For the first time in a long he was happy – really happy.

The two sat and starred at each for a moment before he placed his warm hands on her cheeks. He cradled her head gently before leaning down and kissing her softly.

She didn't reject him but slightly repositioned herself and deepened the kiss before finally pulling away.

He laughed slightly... "I can't think straight when I'm with you."

**AN: Hope you enjoyed the new chapter…I tried to keep it true to life. Of course St. John's college is really now Fordham University. The Botanical Gardens are really down the street from the Rosehill campus. I do not know if any of the Greenhouses were actually built there by then…but I'm going with it! Thanks for any reviews! :)**


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